Convertible basket-table



July 7, 1931- o. A. JOHNSTON ET ALgu 1E-,813,451 CONVERTIBLE BASKETTABLE f Filed Dec. 28.' 1928 Smets-'sneu 1A WMA TToRNEx/s.

July 7, 1931.

O. A. JOHNSTON ET AL CONVERTIBLE BASKET TABLE Filed Dec. 28. 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 2 July 7, 1931 o. A. JOHNSTON ET AL 1,813,451

CONVERTIBLE BASKET TABLE Filed Dec. 28. 1928 4 sheets-'sheet 3 INVENTOR.O/W/v/ZJa/M/ ra/v BY cmmaffv afm/sro# July 7, 1931. o. A. JOHNSTON r-:TAL 1,813,451

ONVERTIBLE BASKET TABLE Filed Dec. 28. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /fMf-s 5lINVENTOR.

Patented July 7, 1931 UNITED --STATES PATENT OFFICE oRIN` A. JOHNSTON,0E PUECELL, AND CLARENCE JOHNSTON,y 0E OKLAHOMA CITY,

OKLAHoi/TA CONVERTIBLE BASKET-TABLE Application led December 28, Y1928.Serial No.v 328,996.

invention rela-ties to adevice adapted to be used by those engaged inselling merforvo-ne of its objects to provide a novel device of thischaracter which shall beadapted to beused as a basket in which themerchandise may be conveniently carriedrfrom house to house and whichshall. be adapted to be used as a table on which the merchandise maybeattractively displayed to a householder. i

The inventionhas a further object to provide a device of the characterstated which shall be adapted to be easily and quickly converted from abasket into a table and from a table into a basket. v y.

`The invention has for a further object to provide a device ofthecharacter stated which shall rembody membersiconnected ina manner topermit them tovbe arranged in basket or table top forming relation andlegs connected to one of said members for movement: into extended yorfolded relationwith respect thereto. c

The inventionhas for a further4 object to .provide a. device of thecharacter stated which shall embody `means adapted tohold the-legsagainst accidental movement when extended, and vmeans adapted to holdthe vlegs against accidental movement 'when :folded:

` 'The invention has for 'a further'object to provide adeviceof thecharacter stated which i shall be equipped with al handle and with meansadapted'to hold the members`v against accidental movement fromV basketforming position; said means embodying elements carriedlby thehandle'a'nd adapted to automatically. engage certain of the members onytheir movement into basket forming position. l

'The invention has for a still further object te provide a devicevofthecharacter stated which shall be adapted to be manufactured and soldat a comparatively low cost and which shall be light in weight andstrong and durable. i t l A ;.The invention is `hereinafter lmore fullydescribedand claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings,jwherein material. y tbasket,formingl position, the side members 2Figure lis a view in side elevation of the device'in basket form;chandise `directly to householders, and has i Figure?l is a-bottom planview of the de `v iceinbasket form; y A c Figure 3 isa top plan vievi7of the device in'basket form; Y y

' Figure 4; is a sectional View taken'on thev vertical pla-neindicatedby the line 4-4 of Iiligure 3; 4

y Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the verticalplane indicatedbythe line 5 5 of Figure; op Y v Figure 6 is a view in end elevation ofthe device with the members 4 in basket forming relation and'vwith thelegs-in extended positi'onv;l A A Figure 7 lsa view inside elevationofthe ldleviceas Vshown in Figure 6;

tratifn'gthe. mannerin 7which the side mem- 'bers areretainedin basketforming position; i

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on the vertical plane' indicated bythe line lQ-lQ AofFig'ure llfand Y y p l K Y, Figure 13 isa detailsectional view taken .on the vertical plane indicated by the line,Thegdevicecomprises a central memberl, side'. members 2 and endmembers. The

side'members andthe end members 3 are connected to the central memberv lby hinges Vlandv, respectively, so` as to kpermit them to be arrangedeither at right angles to the central member t0 providea basket or inthe :plane the central member to provide a table top. Themembers l, 2and 3 may be made from wood, metal or any other suitable When themembers 2 and 3 are in contact with the-end edgesof theend memlloers,Vand'whenthese members are in table i f. vFigure l1 is aldetailelevational view illus- Y top forming position, their hinged edgescontact with the edges of the central member 1. The side members 2 areprovided with angle irons 6 and blocks 7 which, when these and the endmembers 2 are in basket forming position, contact with the oppositefacesof the end members to hold said members against any accidental inward oroutward movement. vWhen thegside members 2 and end members 3 arein'basket forming pesition, the side members rest against the sides ofa'handle 8 and are engaged by the bolts 9 of latches 10, the sides ofthe handle being arranged inwardly and the bolts 9 being arrangedoutwardly of the side members. The bolts 9 which are vertically arranged.and slidably mounted in c'asings; 11, are yieldingly held in projectedposition bysprings 12, so as to permit them to automatieally engage theside members 2 when the latterare swung into basket forming positionagainst ihe sides of the handle 8. Headed pins 1 2 working in slots 14:in the casings 11, serveto limit the .movement of the bolts 9 by thesprings 12 and provide means through the medium of which the bolts mayberetracted when it is desired to swing the side members 2 and end members3 into table top forming Position.

The handle 8 is arranged at the transverse center of the device,andextends for aconsiderable distance above'the side members 2 and endmembers 3 when said members Vare in basket forming position. It issecured to the central member 1, and comprises a pair of rods 15 ofsubstantially inverted U- forin in elevation and arranged ih relativelyspaced relation. The lower ends ofthe rods 1 5 entends downwardlyythrough openings 16 in the central member 1, and are vbeI'it intocontact with the lower side of said member. Cleats 17 provided withopeningsfor the re ception of the angular ends ofthe reds 15, andsecured to the under side of the central member 17 by elements 18,`serve to irmly secure the rods to said member. The sides of the rods 15are offset laterally at points immediately above the side members 2 soas to provide the handle 8 with a comparatively large upper or loopedportion. The upper or looped 'portions of the rods 15 arelield againstanj7` relative movement by a 'Inetal strap V19 'of inverted U-form inelevation and arranged within vsaid portion of the rods with` its endsresting upon the shoulders 2 0 'provided by otfsetting'the rods. Theside edges of the strap 19 are rolled, as at 21, about the upper orlooped portions of the rods 15. 'Inadditionto strengthening and addingrigidity to the handle 8, the strap 19 vprovidesa smooth grip which willnot tire the hand. The latch casings v11 are welded o r secured Iin anyother suitable manner to the, inner sides of the ends of the strap 19,and the bolts 9 pass downwardly through the shoulders 20 into contactwith the outer faces of the side members 2.

The legs 22 and 23 are arranged in pairs, and are connected to the underside of the central member 1 for movement into extendedpr folded relatinwith respe'ctlthereto. Then the legs 22 and 23 are in extended position,the central member 1 rests upon their upper ends -and/when they are infolded psition, they oeeupy a common plane. The legs 22 and 23 areconnected to the central memberl by hinges 24. The legs 22 are connectedtogether by crossed braces 25, and the legs 23 are connectedtogether bya transverse brace 26. The b race 26 is provided with fl'set ,portion 27which constittes a latch adapted to engage a keeper plate 28 on one ofthe legs 22 when these legs. and the' legs 23 are 1in folded psition,the' latch serving to hold the legs against acc ifdentalV mei/'ementfrom such position. A rod 29 eXending across and secured te the upperends of each pair of the legs 22 and 23, end springs 30 secured t'o thecentral member 1 and to the arms or cranks 31 of said rods, providemeans for holding the legs inextended position and for moving the legsinto such position when they are released by disengagiiig the latch 27from the keeper plate 28.

In pracice, the salesman carries' his merchandise in the basket providedby arranging and securing the side members 2 and end members 3 in uprihtpsitin withv respect to the central mem er 1, the legs 22 and 23 beingin folded position against the under side of thebasket, in which p'sitinthey are 'secured by the `latch 27. When he wishes to display themerchandise to a prospective purchaser', he' freeslthe legs y22 and 23for i movement intdtheir extended position by the springs 30; After thelegs 22 and 23 have reached their eXtended position, in which positionthey will be held by the springs 30, he rests the device uponthe floor,and thereafter frees the side members 2 to fall intdalinement with thecentral member v1, with the result that a table having a broad flat ltopis provided'. He nowspreads the merchandise over the tabletop in 4orderto display them to thebest advantage to the prospective purchaser. Whenhe wishesvto visitanother' prospect-ive purchaser, hearrangesthemerchandise on the central member 1, then swings the end members 3into basket forming position, and thereafter swings the Siae membersainte basket formin'g position, the side members securing the end membersin such position and the side membersbeing automatically secured in suchposition by the latches 10. LAfter the basket has been formed, the legs22 and 23 are swung int'o foldedpsition against the 'under side af thebasket, ia whichposiaoa they are automatically secured by the latch 27.

Ua'i

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with t-heaccompanying drawings, it Will be seen that a salesman equipped Withthis device has at hand a table on which he may display his merchandiseto the best advantage, and that the device, due to the fact that itprovides a table for the merchandise, obviates the loss of time incidentto and the bad impression created by a salesman who is equipped Withonly a basket or tray which in the absence of a better support isusually placed on the floor and Who accordingly must constantly bebending over the basket in order to select merchandise for display to aprospective purchaser.

lVhile We have described the principle of,

the invention and the device which We :noviT consider the bestembodiment thereof, We Wish it to be understood that the device shown ismerely illustrative and that such changes may be made therein Whendesired as are wirhin the scope of the invention as claimed.

What We claim is:

l. A device of the character set forth, comprising a central member,other members connected to the central member for arrangement intobasket or table top forming position with respect thereto, means carriedby certain of said other members and engaging the remaining of saidother members to hold said remaining members in basket forming position,a handle secured to the central member, releasable means carried by saidhandle and engaging said certain members intermediate their ends to holdthem in basket forming position, and means for supporting the memberswhen in table top formation.

2. A device of the character set forth, coinprising a central member,other members connected to the central member for arrangement intobasket or table top forming position With respect thereto, means carriedby certain of said other members and engaging theremaining of said othermembers to hold said remaining members in basket forming position, ahandle secured to the central member, and means carried by said handleand engaging said certain members to hold them in basket formingposition.

3. A device vof the charac er set forth. comprising a central member,other members connected to the central member for arrangement intobasket or table top forming position with respect thereto, means carriedby certain of said other members for engagement with the remaining ofsaid other members to hold the remaining members in basket formingposition, a handle secured to the central member, and spring pressedbolts carried by the handle and adapted to engage said first members tohold them in basket forming position.

v4. A device of the character set forth, comprising a central member,other members contain of said other members resting againstV the sidesof the handle when in basket forming position, latches engaging saidmembers to hold them in said position, and means carried by said membersand engaging the remaining other membersV to hold them in basket formingposition.

5. A device of the character set forth, comprising a central member,other members connected to the central member for arrangement intobasket or table top forming position With respectthereto, U-shaped wireshaving their ends passing through the central member, means securing theends of the Wires to the lower side of the central member, a strapembracing the upper portions of the Wires, certain of said memberscontacting With the sides of the' Wires when in basket forming position,latches carried by the strap and engaging said members to hold them insaid position, and means carried by said members and engaging theremaining other members to hold them in basket forming position.

6. A device of the character set forth, comprising a central member,other members connected to the central member for arrangement intobasket or table top forming position with respect thereto, meansreleasably holding said other' members in basket forming position, pairsof legs, means connecting the legs to the central member for movementinto folded or extended position With respect thereto, means releasablyholding the legs in folded position, a cross bar secured to one pair voflegs and having a catch engaging one of the other pair of legs to holdthe legs in folded position, and means for releasably holding the legsin extended position.

7. A device of the character set forth, comprising a central member,other members connected to the central member for arrange- `ment intobasket or table top forming position With respect thereto, meansreleasably holding said other members 1n basket forming position, pairsof legs, means connecting the legs to the central member for movementinto folded or extended position with respect thereto, means releasablyholding the legs in folded position, rods carried by the legs andprovided With cranks, and springs secured to the central member and tothe cranks.

In testimony whereof vvel affix our signatures.

ORIN A. JOHNSTON. CLARENCE F. JOHNSTON.

